Chapter 22: Blood of the Ancient

I heard a laugh behind me.

Slow. Deep. Amused.

I turned.

The man in the orange parka stood a few feet away—but the parka was gone now. His shirt clung to his body, soaked in thick blue blood. It streaked across his dark skin like war paint. Without the bulky coat, I could see how powerfully built he was—broad shoulders, carved arms, a body shaped not by vanity, but by centuries of violence.

He wasn’t just any vampire.

There was something ancient about him.

Fast. Controlled. Dangerous.

For a brief second, I wondered who would win in a fight between him and Juliet.

He walked toward me calmly, like he owned the ground beneath his feet. When he reached me, he placed a firm hand on my arm—not aggressive, just claiming space—and looked at Juliet.

“Cousin,” he said, voice smooth but commanding. “Where did you find this one?”

Cousin?

Juliet just chuckled.

I stared at her. Cousin?

Before I could process that, he gave my arm a light squeeze.

“Come,” he said. “Let’s get you inside. You need a shower.”

The building we entered wasn’t just large.

It was monumental.

A palace carved entirely from shimmering blue crystal and polished stone. The walls glowed faintly from within, veins of luminous sapphire running through them like frozen lightning. The floors were reflective, smooth as glass, and the ceilings arched high overhead in cathedral-like curves.

Everything was blue.

Not dull blue.

Royal blue. Icy blue. Deep ocean blue.

The air itself felt charged.

Warriors filled the hall—some still streaked with blood, others freshly transformed from their wolf forms back into human bodies. You could tell who had been wolves moments ago by the wildness still lingering in their eyes.

Juliet and I were guided forward.

Two massive thrones stood at the far end of the hall, carved from darker crystal, elevated by a series of wide steps. I was positioned directly in front of them, but Juliet stood slightly apart from me—close, but not beside me.

Around the edges of the palace hall stood the citizens.

Not warriors.

Families. Elders. Children. Women carrying infants. Craftsmen with strong hands. They watched silently, their expressions curious, cautious.

This wasn’t just a war hall.

This was a kingdom.

And I was an outsider standing in the center of it.

I could feel the warriors staring at me.

Whispering.

Judging.

I swallowed.

Maybe I deserved that.

On the battlefield, I hadn’t exactly behaved like a noble hero. I had lost control. Killed without hesitation.

Still… I fought beside them.

Didn’t I deserve at least a nod of respect?

The murmuring stopped.

A presence entered the room.

A breathtakingly beautiful dark-skinned woman walked forward slowly. Her sky-blue hair flowed down her back like silk, and her deep blue eyes glowed faintly. She wore a long golden gown that shimmered against the blue surroundings.

Her hand rested gently over her pregnant belly.

The entire hall lowered their heads slightly.

She ascended the steps and sat gracefully on the throne to the left.

A moment later, a tall man entered from the opposite side.

He had the same sky-blue hair. The same piercing eyes.

He was shirtless, his muscular torso streaked with fresh blue blood. His face was marked with it too. He had clearly fought in the battle.

He didn’t sit.

He stood before the throne on the right.

King and Queen.

The king began to speak loudly in their language. His voice echoed powerfully through the hall.

I couldn’t understand a single word.

But every few sentences—

The warriors erupted into thunderous cheers.

Their fists pounded their chests.

The sound vibrated through my bones.

After several minutes, large metallic cups were brought out and passed among the warriors.

When one passed in front of me, I reached for it instinctively.

The warrior holding it pulled it away sharply and grunted at me.

I froze.

Juliet’s cousin saw what happened.

He looked at me.

Then deliberately looked away.

A tight knot formed in my chest.

I’m starting to hate it here.

The king took a cup for himself and raised it high. He spoke again—shorter this time.

Everyone lifted their cups.

I slowly did the same.

They drank.

I drank.

The liquid was thick and metallic-sweet. Like wine… but richer. Warmer. It spread heat through my chest instantly.

Then I felt a hand grip my arm.

Juliet’s cousin.

“Come,” he said quietly.

He pulled me out of the hall.

As we walked down the corridor, I glanced back.

The warriors were still watching me.

All of them.

But at the far end of the palace, I saw a young boy—no older than ten—grinning at me.

He gave me a thumbs up.

I couldn’t help but smile.

Then the corridor swallowed us.

We entered another chamber.

An indoor pool.

It was breathtaking.

The ceiling arched high overhead, made of clear crystal that reflected the light of glowing blue torches. The pool itself was enormous, its water glowing from within like liquid sapphire.

One entire wall was a giant open window.

Beyond it stretched the kingdom—snow-covered peaks, crystalline towers rising from the ice, glowing pathways carved into the mountain. The sky above shimmered with pale northern lights.

And in the center of the pool—

Juliet.

Already swimming.

“Get in,” her cousin said.

“Are you sure I should be here?” I asked honestly.

He didn’t hesitate. “Of course. This is my private quarters.”

He removed his clothes without ceremony and dove into the glowing water.

After a brief pause—

I did the same.

The moment the water touched my skin, I froze.

It wasn’t cold.

It was warm.

Perfectly warm.

Like stepping into liquid silk.

A low vibration hummed beneath the surface, traveling through my muscles, into my bones.

The stress.

The exhaustion.

The wolf bite.

Everything began to fade.

The water around me brightened, reacting to my body. I looked around and saw the same glow surrounding everyone.

Soft blue halos radiated from each of us.

It felt alive.

Ancient.

Healing.

“I’m sorry I haven’t introduced myself,” Juliet’s cousin said calmly.

“I’m Timi.”

“Daniel,” I replied.

“So, Daniel,” Timi smirked slightly. “How was your first battle? Did you have fun?”

I frowned. “How did you know it was my first?”

Both he and Juliet laughed.

Juliet swam closer. “You were behaving possessed. You killed all the injured warriors we were supposed to bring in for questioning.”

I blinked.

“Oh.”

“That’s why they’re wary,” Timi added. “You were… efficient.”

“I see,” I muttered. “That explains the warm welcome.”

“Don’t think that way,” Timi said. “They are insecure around strangers. They were worse when we arrived.”

“More like we crash-landed here,” Juliet corrected.

They both laughed.

I looked between them. “How did you even end up here?”

Timi glanced at Juliet. “Do you want this one?”

She shook her head, floating onto her back. “No. You two should talk.”

Timi exhaled slowly.

“I don’t know if she told you,” he began, “but we fought in the Second World War. Attack pilots. Flying for the British.”

I stared at him.

“Why?”

He smirked. “We were bored.”

“In 1944,” he continued, “our unit was assigned to Antarctica. A military operation. Our commanding officer warned us not to go off course.”

He paused.

“Our navigation failed midair. We got lost.”

Juliet added casually, “And because we’re vampires, we ignored the warnings.”

Timi nodded. “We led our crew the wrong direction. After hours of circling empty sky… we found this hidden kingdom.”

His expression darkened.

“Before we could even land properly, spears rained down on us from impossible distances. Hundreds.”

His jaw tightened.

“We couldn’t block them all.”

The pool seemed quieter now.

“We crashed into the snow.”

He looked at me steadily.

“Our entire crew died.”

“Except us.”

“And when we woke up—”

He finished quietly:

“We were imprisoned.”“And we decided to play along,” Timi continued, his voice calm, almost amused. “At first, it was entertainment. Two immortal prisoners in a hidden kingdom at the bottom of the world? Why not observe?”

Juliet rolled onto her stomach, listening quietly now.

“But after a few days,” he said, “the hunger came.”

His eyes darkened slightly.

“They didn’t know what we were. They fed us like normal captives. It wasn’t enough.”

The water around him pulsed faintly.

“Then luck favored us. A war broke out.”

“Between?” I asked.

“The Nhim and the Braves,” he replied. “Ancient enemies. The Braves live beyond the outer ice fields—larger territory, brutal warriors. No spirit-binding like the Nhim. Just raw force.”

He leaned back against the edge of the pool.

“While the kingdom was distracted preparing for battle, we broke our chains.”

Juliet smiled faintly. “They underestimated how strong ‘foreigners’ could be.”

Timi nodded. “We followed the warriors into battle. That was the first time we saw their werewolves in full form.”

He exhaled slowly.

“They weren’t wolves like you know.”

“How big?” I asked.

“As big as trucks,” he said without exaggeration. “Fur like armored steel. Teeth the size of daggers. When they roared, the snow itself shook.”

Even in the warm water, I felt a chill.

“We fought,” he continued. “Not for loyalty. Not for justice. For survival. And for food.”

Juliet gave him a look. “Be subtle.”

He shrugged.

“We helped them win. Decisively.”

“And that,” Juliet said softly, “changed everything.”

Timi nodded. “We gained their trust. Not immediately. But after enough battles… enough blood… they began to see us as allies.”

“We helped negotiate the treaty,” Juliet added. “Peace between the Nhim and the Braves.”

Timi’s expression hardened. “The Braves dare not break that treaty. If they do, they deal with me.”

There was no arrogance in his voice.

Just certainty.

“But now,” he continued more quietly, “the Nhim spirit warriors are growing weaker. Their connection to their ancestral spirits is fading.”

“And we don’t know why,” Juliet finished.

Timi’s jaw tightened. “What troubles us more… is that the Braves somehow know.”

Silence stretched between us.

The glowing water hummed.

I swallowed. “If you helped them win, helped build peace… why stay?”

Timi and Juliet exchanged a look.

A long one.

“It’s a long story,” Timi said finally. “Maybe another time.”

That only made me more curious.

“But the king and queen…” I hesitated. “Aren’t they siblings?”

Timi’s eyes flicked to me with interest. “Why would you think that?”

“Their hair,” I said. “That sky-blue color. It’s different from everyone else. And their faces… they look very similar.”

A slow smirk curved across his lips.

“Well,” he said, “royal blood must remain pure. If it is diluted, the ancestral spirits withdraw their blessing.”

I blinked. “So…”

“Siblings marry,” he finished calmly.

“Wow.”

There was no judgment in his tone. Just fact.

He studied me then.

Really studied me.

The playful edge faded from his expression.

“Now,” he said quietly, “I have a question for you, Daniel.”

I opened my mouth—

He didn’t let me speak.

“You walk in the sun.”

The air seemed to tighten.

“That means you are not a lesser vampire.”

The water’s glow dimmed slightly around us.

Juliet stopped floating. Her eyes fixed on him.

Timi continued.

“That means you carry the blood of my grandfather.”

His voice was steady now. Sharp.

“But you don’t fight like a royal guard.”

He stepped closer in the water.

“You are not fast enough to be an old vampire.”

His eyes locked onto mine.

“That means you are newly turned.”

Juliet moved slightly. “Timi, I can—”

He cut her off without looking away from me.

“So tell me,” he said, voice low and dangerous now,

“Who the hell are you, Daniel?”